We live in a racist patriarchy. If you followed the 2016 Election and possess any sense of social justice, that is obvious. Those of us who are white and heterosexual have a distinct advantage over those who are not; those of us who are cis male are even more privileged. 

Many of us who possess such privilege are deeply troubled that our friends without privilege are discriminated against. Many people like me have expressed interest in moving to Canada to escape the current political climate of hate. However, moving to Canada is the pinnacle of privilege. If the we move to Canada, we are abandoning our friends to avoid witnessing their suffering. 

Trump’s appeal is based on privilege. 

Trump’s hate machine is focused on people who do not possess privilege. If you would actually be able to move to Canada, you are privileged. You will be fine. The non-privileged need you here. (With that said, there are certainly exceptions to this, especially within the LGBT community.)

If you are privileged, the only way to repay your social debt is to support the victims of systemic racism, patriarchy, and heteronormativity. It is the duty of the privileged to undermine the social structures that give them unfair advantage. Until all black people and Hispanics are safe from Trump’s America, until all women flee to a less patriarchal part of the world, until all of our LGBT friends are safe, the privileged have no right fleeing this horrid mess that has been created by their very advantage.

Ways the privileged can help.

Identifying a problem serves no purpose unless the solution is also given. There are many ways we can undermine our own privilege. If you are privileged, you must call out other privileged people. It is not okay to say things just because the discriminated group is not present; some (white) people do not realize this.

You can also stand as a witness. Prejudiced people assume that discriminated against groups deserve to be discriminated against due to (perceived) inferiority. If you, a member outside of that group make the point, it may resonate with the closed minded. 

Finally, go to protests. Go to every protest you can. Your presence shows the prejudiced that they are wrong. It shows the racist that there are more than just black people in #BlackLivesMatter. It shows sexists that men care about funding to Planned Parenthood. It shows homophobes that the Allies to the LGBTQ community are legion. Furthermore, your presence shows your friends who possess identities different from yourself that that you support them. 

Unless you or your family are not in danger, please, do not flee to Canada. This is our country, not Trump’s. If we leave, he wins and everyone we leave behind will suffer due to the consequences of our cowardice.